Robson Fletcher

As they say, *ahem*, some personal news: After 20 years in journalism, including a decade at CBC News, I'm moving on to something different. I’m launching my own independent practice as a Data & Storytelling Strategist. Yes, I'm giving up a stable job in order to hang up my own shingle. Why? 🧵👇

More than $5,000 now raised for KidSport from fans of Hellebucks.com Got a surge after the trade announcement. 😀

With all the Connor Hellebuyck to New Jersey trade coverage I'm honestly shocked that we haven't seen 'A Helle of a deal with the Devils' as a headline yet

Over $4,000 for KidSport Manitoba now from fans of Hellebucks.com Thank you everyone. 🙂

This morning I activated the overhead lights of a crosswalk & started crossing with my two young kids. Two cars waiting at stop signs to cross the same road took the opportunity to proceed. A Tesla driver then blew through the crosswalk, oblivious to us, almost hitting us AND both cars. 🙃

As the count continues, we are getting a clearer picture of the results from Monday's AB referendum: 1. Separation was trounced 2. No real mandate on the heavily pushed Q1-9 Big picture: the Urban-Rural divide Cgy+Edm voted No on all questions Rest of Alberta (combined) voted Yes

I just learned a baby named Fidelcastro was born in Alberta in 2021.

As part of our expansion in Western Canada, Abacus Data just completed this poll of Saskatchewan residents. Among decided voters: 🟢 Saskatchewan Party: 48% 🟠 Saskatchewan NDP: 46% ⚫ Other parties: 6%

This is a publicly funded government agency refusing to share weather warnings and their own public warnings with a journalist at Global News, one of the larger mainstream news outlets in Canada. I really want you to sit with the bare facts of that.

KidSport is such a great organization. This was an easy donation.

We asked Albertans in September how they believed Danielle Smith would vote if Alberta held a referendum on actually separating from Canada and becoming a sovereign country. This is how they responded: ⚫ 48% - Smith would vote to separate 🟢 27% - Smith would vote to remain ❔ 26% - Unsure

Over $2,000 in donations now for KidSport! All from fans of a slightly petty website about a Winnipeg goalie not getting paid. 😅 Hellebucks.com

"The United Conservative Party is not an independence party," Smith said in a video message sent to UCP members Wednesday.

The referendum drama in Alberta is over. Up next: the highly contentious redrawing of electoral boundaries! The advisory panel that was appointed in June is due to give its report to the UCP-controlled Select Special Committee *tomorrow* (Oct. 22). Some thoughts on this from a poll we did in May:

We are two solitudes: the Urban/Rural divide Other than Q5 (proof of citizenship to vote) and Q10 (separation) the votes in yesterday's referendum split across the urban/rural divide. (Note: still lots of counting to do, especially for Qs 1-9)

This is an excellent point. After some of those "dark days" a decade ago, we've seen remarkable accuracy in recent Canadian polling, across provinces and election types. The last poll I worked on with Abacus Data on Alberta's referendum is just one of the latest examples:

My hellebucks.com site has spread beyond my wildest expectations, with 700K+ pageviews. With news Hellebuyck's suspension is due to end, I've just updated the site with a new countdown. I also added a donation link for KidSport Manitoba. It has nearly $1,000 in donations already! Thank you, all ❤️

"The flames were blinding, a source on scene said, adding troops were loading the injured to bring back to base before going back into the field to collect more of their comrades... More than a dozen CAF personnel were also parachuted in ... arriving at the health centre to respond"

What you've gotta wear when doing back-to-back media interviews on two very different topics in one morning: 1. A television interview about hellebucks.com 2. A print interview about new polling results from Abacus Data

One other thing worth adding to this thread is the breakdown of party supporters by region, specifically Calgary. In our early-September poll, the UCP held a slight lead in Calgary. In this mid-October poll, the NDP now holds that slight edge:

"Donald Trump is becoming slightly less central to how Canadians think about the country’s challenges. In early September, 46% identified Trump and his administration as a top-three issue. Today, it’s 40%. In Quebec, that number has fallen from 59% to 49% in just three weeks."

"In an over-scheduled, over-emailed, over-screened world, there’s something refreshing about having a regular, free place to gather... The kids ride until they’re hungry, the adults enjoy each other's company, and everyone goes home having enjoyed fresh air, exercise and fellowship."

2026 REFERENDUM - Recruitment Do you live in Bragg Creek, Canmore, Springbank, Rocky Mountain House, Wetaskiwin, or Stettler? We are hiring ballot counters! Apply today at https://ow.ly/2nq050ZXm3i.

@robsonfletcher.com ‘s little project turned up on the homepage of the New York Times this morning.

I didn’t know who to attribute for the creation of this (should have looked more carefully). Well framed, @robsonfletcher.com! And talk about using data to tell a story. If that’s the kind of help you’re looking for, it looks like Robson’s your person.

To any of my Winnipeg followers on Bluesky, tune in to CJOB at 9:05 a.m. on Friday morning if you wanna hear me talk about this hellebucks.com website 😅

From @climateinstitute.bsky.social in April: "Heat pumps produce heating at two to five times the efficiency of gas furnaces. Even compared to other electric options, heat pumps are about three times more efficient than electric resistance heating."

Connor Hellebuyck's forfeited salary is up to $364,671 (U.S.) now. That's over half a million Canadian. Watching it add up in real time is kinda mesmerizing: hellebucks.com

Nine days into the NHL's regular season, the Winnipeg Jets are 2nd in the league, without Connor Hellebuyck playing. Hellebuyck, meanwhile, has forfeited US $344,044 (and counting) since the Jets started their season without him. You can track how much money he's giving up, second by second, here:

Just saw a Reddit thread in which people were discussing being old and I haven't stopped laughing at this one comment: "So, recently our 21 year old (252 months) asked us what number we called in an emergency before September 11th happened 🤦🏽‍♂️ "

"Rath asked the court to release an additional $776,469 to cover $350,000 in legal fees and $426,469 in living expenses." "[The judge] found ... his financial disclosures were 'incomplete and unreliable' leaving her unable to determine whether he had other funds available to cover his expenses."

Applications are now open for the 2027–2028 House of Commons Page Program! This opportunity gives 40 bilingual students from across Canada the chance to work at the HoC while beginning their first year of post-secondary studies. 📅 Apply by November 8, 2026. 👉 Learn more ourcommons.ca/page